LED License Plate Light Combos (Running, Brake, Signal, Lamp)

Way back in 2016, when humans were still using flint to build fire and DJs looped Thomas Edison phonograph samples, we motorbikers faced an ongoing conundrum. You've probably already guessed it: LED license plate combo mods and the modern motorcycles that are resistant to them. If you're chasing a clean LED license plate signal solution, those 2am cold sweat nightmares on the matter are about to be no more.

This issue got personal for me just one bike ago when my eBay-ordered tail tidy, promising factory fitment (by both eBay and questionable seller kUhZtUm bYk pErTz), crammed the rear turn signals into my factory luggage. Fixing the sitch meant ordering 1.5-inch metric spacers. This led to an innovative fireworks display but we'll get to that in a moment.

Now, this is the paragraph where I would suggest a "best Robin could find" product for anyone goin' full TLDR. Problem is, the bulk of our options stem from foreign business upstarts that dissolve before their products reach our shoreline. That's why my opinion on modular DIY solutions being the better investment is pretty verbose and with that, it's time to dial in the balance between a "complete package" and "bit-by-bit" purchase.

The Meat Of The Matter

Thermodynamics: Sometimes they actually live up to the desert rave party light show hype. I have, in the past, found myself in a situation where an aftermarket exhaust points output directly into my rear/right turn signal.

Mind you, the culprit bike's properly repositioned tail tidy placed the turn signals in their designated locations. But the result of my third-party exhaust firing off gas and carbon into my (R)ick side lantern? Multiple cases of molten blinker fluid.

To better explain, still-flammable ash from the exhaust fogged up my turn signal. Over time, that builds up until it looks like gunpowder. Continued, direct heat cooks up the screw which holds its lens in place. Eventually, the surrounding plastic melts or, when I enable the signal for a right turn, ignites, blasting it to Kingdom Come. Entertaining? Sure, but the fireworks force me back into the dark ages via old timey hand signals.

A most trusted hive mind answers my questions with "go back to stock" responses ... but why should I? I love the look and sound of a Max Torque can. The stock component was terribly bloated and I'm happy it's gone.

Having dreamt up a few signal relocation efforts, they always arrive at "over-thunked," employing chaotically engineered hardware store shelving parts. I mean, we all love how a good wall brace looks on our motorcycles but once the handlebars need a door knob, it's time to double back. Then my less-is-more dosage kicked in.

One Solution Is A Running, Brake And Signal Integrated License Plate Mount.

The concept is to use as little material as possible while doing more than enough work to notify anyone following us properly. A single component with six (6) wires would feed into the ground, plate, running, brake, left and right signals. That covers everything so long as our LED license plate upgrade actually does the job.

By "actually", I'm suggesting those cheap/aftermarket flush-mount signals we see on mid-sized sport bikes barely function as reflectors, let alone a notification of intent.

On point, I'm exploring license plate brackets that offer a side order of disco-ball. Something to project an unspoken truth about that "old man Earl" uncancelled turn signal. Bothered or not, at least you saw it.

Below are a few products to consider: If none meet the need, keep reading as DIY remedies won't require the soldering iron. Each is a contender for a clean LED license plate build.

Fully Integrated, Single Purchase

In this day and age, prewired and fully contained vehicle LEDs aren't hard to come by. Why American-made versions are so expensive is anybody's guess but I predict it's a matter of patents, licensing and warranties. That applies doubly to an LED license plate swap.

On the patent side, some manufacturers physically reduce them to the smallest possible footprint-blinding but pocket-sized. Then there's licensing, which comes with a free bag of FCC regs, safety standards, lab tests, SDoC, follow-ups, rule of origin and quality control. Warranties might mean having a lawyer on retainer.

Cost can be subjective, though and in our case (as riders), remember that we're sort of a niche cult. This article aims to keep it all under $100. Bet ...

C-Me Low Profile License Plate Brake/Turn Signal LED Light Bar

For those of us tired of wiring spaghetti and blinkers that ghost us mid-ride like a flaky Tinder match, the C-Me Tag Mounted LED Bar brings the drama-free glow-up we deserve. It packs 50 crazy-bright LEDs into a low-profile light strip that nestles neatly behind our license plate like a mullet with a PhD. The design splits the bars down the middle, letting left and right turn signals do their own thing without calling in a wiring exorcist.

Choose your flavor: Go single-color if you like things simple (just red or just amber) or pick the dual-color integrated version for full-function red running/brake with amber turn. Either way, this ain't a cousin Eddie special with three blinking modes and a wire labeled "maybe ground?"

As for mounting, the C-Me light bar bolts to the top or bottom of any standard 4"x7" tag, playing nice whether you run a license plate frame or not. No weird brackets or duct tape engineering. Just use the stock bolt holes like a civilized-ish motorcycle operator, making for easy LED license plate fitment.

Wiring? Forget soldering in a windstorm. Also, ignore the included Posi-Tap connectors. We here at TRO prefer Wago. The package includes instructions, as some of us still need to triple-check how electricity works.

You can choose lens options, meaning clear, smoke or red (only available in the single-color red setup). All versions include running light circuits that you can use or minimalistically ignore. The 120-degree LED viewing angle ensures our signal won't vanish into the void just because someone's five degrees off our six.

Long story short, these deliver solid visibility. At a "decent" price and with a universal fit that doesn't require ritual sacrifice, the C-Me plate-mount light bar earns its keep. Call it a dependable choice in an LED license plate configuration.

Keep 'Em Separated

If you're worried that a single light bar might not communicate the exacting details of your on-road battle strategy clearly enough, consider giving that ape-drape a pair of earrings. The same C-Me brand offers a two-piece variation of the above. The only difference is that they mount vertically on the left and right sides of the plate, an LED license plate layout that still cleans things up nicely.

VrAre Universal B6 Dual License Plate LED Tail, Brake & Signal

Parallel to the C-Me lamps but at a slightly more wallet-friendly price, VrAre sells a three-piece brake/signal combo. We're talkin' independent L/R directionals and a base running/brake. My question to the seller, courtesy of their one and only (negative) review, is: Do they come with specific LED license plate instructions or not?

At the price they're asking, one would hope to receive a detailed explanation of how their simple three-wire schematic plays out.

The B6 boasts "burst flash", which is nice, assuming it's time-limit-temporary. Another longtime TRO favorite, Vololights, performs similarly with mixed success, as it uses inertia to operate. VrAre only responds to rider input at the controls, making it more trustworthy by comparison.

"Waterproof" is a bold claim for any motorsports company to make about electronic items. Where "water-resistant" means it won't require replacement for at least fifteen minutes, the former points to slogging through a heavy downpour into floodwaters at the boat launch before a submarine rendezvous free of concern. While typically true of most low voltage automotive electronics, for VrAre to go out of their way to make mention of it says something.

Besides, the return policy is a predictable 30 days. That's a "yeah, yeah, fine, here's your money back" guarantee. Easy peasy, though just my luck it'll fry on day 31.

Additional specs skirt DC 12-24V, aluminum brackets and six "extremely" bright LEDs drawing just shy of 6 watts. As "extremely" isn't a luminosity unit of measure, we recommend buyers wear high-temp PPE before downgrading to Marty McFly's radiation suit and, lastly, whatever's hip on the streets. Assuming improvised wiring goes well, these answer the "see and be seen" call.

BlyilyB 12-80V Dual Color Red/Amber Combination Signal/Brake Module

I've spent weeks typing up this article and still can't pronounce their brand name.

If we want our rear lighting to do more than just quietly exist, this right here is a tail section's hype-man. Like the C-Me, it's a three-in-one moto illumination buffet, meaning running, brake and sequential turn signals. The manufacturer stuffs all of it into a single lamp you can bolt on without rummaging for that bin full of tangled RadioShack adapters.

The showmanship starts the second you flick on the running lights. A four-cycle red "breathing" effect screams "premium" without crossing into Times Square. On brake, it strobes sharply four times before going solid red. Before the turn, amber animations communicate smoothly. All of this while still getting the point across to even the most lane-drunk SUV driver.

Durability-wise, the housing seals up pretty tight. IP67 waterproofing meets a glue-sealed housing. Voltage weighs in at 12-80V DC, meaning it'll run on pretty much anything. The brains of the operation are fuse-friendly 2835 LEDs bright enough to signal outer space.

Install is refreshingly painless: M4.5 screws, 69 mm spacing, half a meter of wiring and a hookup chart that even the "I once reversed my battery terminals" crowd can follow. Black is ground; yellow and green are signals; white is the position light; and red = brake. That's it.

This unit stands out, cleans up your tail section and cuts down on excess parts without turning your bike into a glowstick. It's rare that something all-in-one doesn't compromise. Unlike vaporware, the BlyilyB (sheesh) looks and feels ready for the long haul. If the C-Me and VrAre lights are respectable dinner guests, BlyilyB also brings dessert and refills your drink without your asking. It's a smart way to consolidate a signal-infused LED license plate without clutter.

Let's Get Modular

Be strong, rider! Ordering any of the aforementioned products means we can just as easily buy unassembled versions and double-sided VHB tape. If we forego the combinations, integrations and animations, building an LED license plate complete with running/brake light bar and L/R signals is a better-than-affordable breeze.

For the red, True Mods offers a 5-inch, three-wire, dual-intensity light strip that comes in a bang-for-the-buck two-pack. That length is perfect for 7" plates and the 3' lead means we're sure to make it to our power source. A nice, tidy shell jackets fifteen high-intensity LEDs and silicone seals them for a confidence-inspiring IP68 rating. As any minimalist would hope, they're low-profile, measuring 1/8" thick and 1/2" wide. You can shape them to suit just about any mounting point so flexibility stays worry-free.

The skinny on DIY LED turn signals says Nilight's 6-5050-SMD has us covered. As with the True Mods unit, they're waterproof and flexible, allowing for creative installation. Equipped with 6-5050SMD high-lumen chips, Nilight sets the bar for visibility and security. Long lifespan, low consumption and all of the other diode-related yadas still apply. One hot + one ground = "Eh! I'm toinin' hee-uh!"

Conclusion

Turn signals that don't fry themselves into oblivion, brake lights that actually announce braking instead of smoldering and enough LED wizardry to keep even the most distracted motorist from claiming they "didn't see you." Whether you're the type who wants a plug 'n' play, all-in-one solution or the tinkerer who prefers rolling your own from strips, tape and a dash of garage-born optimism, the takeaway is the same. Visibility shouldn't be an afterthought. It's the part of the bike that says "I exist" louder than a wide-open exhaust ever could. Whichever path you pick, a well-executed LED license plate setup helps others notice you.

In chasing down these options, I've found that simple usually wins. Integrated bars and modules clean up the tail, kill the clutter and stop us from inventing medieval bracketry in aisle seven of Wallyworld. Meanwhile, modular bits give the budget-minded rider a clear path to safety without compromising style. Neither path requires a NASA budget. All you need is the will to wire it correctly, test it once and hit the road without the smell of molten ABS plastic haunting the ride.

One important thing that many fail to recognize, however, is that LEDs don't play by incandescent rules. Slapping them in without thinking about resistance or current draw can make your bike blink like it's on speed or, worse, not blink at all. That's why, before you start splicing, I highly recommend reading our companion piece about diodes, resistors and relays. It'll keep you out of the hyperflash trap. Well, that plus save you from another round of midnight rewiring.

What LED License Plate Solutions Do You Use?

There are plenty of motorcycle friendly LED products on the market. Which ones do you prefer and why? Your input is invited. Leave a comment and/or write an article!